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 7 Ways To Promote Your Business-FREE!
 by: Tina Barraclough

1. Free Classifieds: If you have the time to post you ads on classified sites , then this is a good place for you to start. Placing classified ads does work, but this method of advertising will take some time before you will start to see results. You will need to continually submit your ad to these sites , so your ad will stay near the top of the pages of these sites. Not everyone will get the same results with free classified advertising. The results I may get , may not be the same as the type of results you may get. It will depend on your ad title , how long your ad has been running , and what type of ad you are using.

Simply search the web for free advertising sites. The list will be long , you will need to find sites that will work for you. Free classifieds take a lot of time ,and effort. Results will show , but you will need to work at it hard , and on a regular basis.

Here are a few classified sites listed:

AZ Free Classifieds Ad Listings

http://www.freeclassifieds.com/

1 Stop Free Internet Classifieds

http://classifieds.bmi.net/

Free Classified Advertising And Promotion

http://www.adlandpro.com"/

Free Classifieds - USFreeads.com

http://www.usfreeads.com/

Free Classsified Ads

http://www.a-better-way.com/classified/

Alberta Rose FREE Classifieds

http://www.albertarose.com/

Money-At-Home.Com Free Classifieds! Place Your Free Ad Today

http://www.money-at-home.com/classifieds.html

Ablewise.com Classifieds - The Online Classifieds Solution

http://www.ablewise.com/

Home Business Opportunities Work At Home And Make Money Online

http://bigmoolla.com/

Business Opportunities Classifieds Online - Small Business

http://www.boconline.com/

2. Free E-zine Ads: most ezines give away free ads to new subscribers of their ezines. Since the ezines have been requested by their subscribers , this is another good place to start.

Here are some E-ZINES listed:

The Free Directory of Ezines

http://www.freezineweb.com/

A list of 500+ free ezines! E-zines and on-line newsletters publications

http://www.powerpub.com/zinelist.htm

Free Ezines Directory

http://www.readers.freeservers.com/ezinedirectory.html

3.Writing articles: Writing articles for distrubution in other ezines , newsletters , etc is a great FREE method for sending traffic to your site. This gives you the opportunity to write about something you know , and will give you free advertising in your resource box. Lots of people are looking for new content for their ezines, or newsletters , so getting published will provide free advertising.

4.Include your URL on everything , like business cards , stationary ,etc. This is also a good source for promotion of your business.Some good places to leave your business cards are: local stores , banks , restraurants ,etc.

5.Flyers: Print out some flyers advertising your business. Post these flyers at shopping centers , grocery stores , laundry mats , local colleges , apartment complexes , car window , etc. There are so many places where you can put flyers , you just need to be creative.

6.Reciprocal Linking: This is where you will look for other sites that are similar to your [work at home sites , business sites , etc] and you will set up a link exchange. You put there link on your site , and they in turn put your link on their site. Be selective about which sites you put your link on. Most of the time , these sites will exchange links with you. This method of advertising can get you listed in major Search Engines and give you a good web site ranking. In my oponion this is by far , the best free method of advertising

7.E-mail Signature: Install a "Signature" in your E-mail program. This method can help you get people to get in touch with you , and want to know more about your business. Most E-mail programs such as , AOL , MSN , NETSCAPE , and OUTLOOK, allow you to add a "Signature" line at the end of your out going e-mail messages. It should only be 6-8 lines. Company Name , Address , Phone Number , URL ,e-mail address , and a small description. Look for examples on e-mail messages that have been sent to you.

What's your Selling Sentence? If you have a business, you need a selling sentence.

Sometimes called the Defining Sentence or the Secondary Statement, the Selling Sentence is the group of words that clarify and refine the nature of your business when seen or heard with the name or logo of your business. You tell ‘em what you do for them' with your Selling Sentence.

The Selling Sentence clearly differentiates your business in the eyes of your current and potential customers or clients. "When it absolutely, positively, has to be there overnight" reinforces the FedEx brand.

McDonald's has used Selling Sentences for individual products. "Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun"

Selling Sentences are similar to Unique Selling Propositions, or USPs. But they differ because that they are more focused and are presented in one sentence or less. USPs can be much longer, resembling a mission statement.

Develop your own Selling Sentence to be displayed under the business name or logo. If it won't fit there, it is too long. The Selling Sentence should appear in the same spot every time the name of the business or logo is displayed: newspaper ads, store signs, yellow pages, business cards. Everywhere the logo goes, so goes the Selling Sentence.

Look at the big boys. Lots of Selling Sentences, some short enough to be called Selling Statements. All fit under the business name.

A Selling Sentence is extremely important if your business name does not reflect on the nature of the business or the product. FedEx was shortened from Federal Express, both of which mildly suggest package handling. Since the Selling Sentence accompanied all references, we all know FedEx is a package delivery service.

Murray's Plumbing would not need a Selling Sentence to clarify the nature of the business, but rather one to set it apart from hundreds of competitors.

Now Murray and his people must maintain the Selling Sentence by keeping the promise. FedEx says over 99% of packages get there overnight. The Selling Sentence should not change unless you intend to re-brand the business, so get it right from the get-go.

Convene your own brain trust of employees and friends and peers for a free association session. List what can be said about your business in one sentence. Emphasize your biggest customer benefit.

Write them all down, no matter how goofy. With the group, trim the list to 10 before you bring out the refreshments. Sleep on it and make a final decision the next morning.

Don't tell 'em what you do. Tell them what you do for them.

For more about business get my article "What Does Your Business Card Say?" Send a blank eMail to the MailTo:BizCardSay@BigIdeasGroup.com